15 years since Ballinacurra were crowned Junior B hurling champions

2024 has already been a positive year for Ballinacurra, with their McCarthy Insurance Confined Junior C Football Championship win over Grange at the beginning of July their first county title at Junior C level.

It’s the perfect way to make up for their narrow defeat to Lismore last year in the county decider, and they’ve still got the East Cork championships to contend with, where a 3-21 to 1-5 dismantling of Fr O’Neill’s ensured they topped their group in Junior C.

Ballinacurra are no strangers to football success though, with their last county title arriving in 2018, also after a win over Grange – that time in the Confined Junior B FC.

Former Cobh Ramblers striker Jake Hegarty was their top scorer on the day – and he repeated that trick again this year against Grange with 2-7 from full-forward as Ballinacurra won by five.

While Hegarty was the star once again – there were three starters in their 2024 winning team that also featured the one and only time Ballinacurra tasted county success with the small ball, back when they won the Confined Junior B title in 2009.

Trevor Costigan, Damien Daly and Scott Richards all started for their win over Randal Óg in the County Junior B Hurling Championship in 2009, and this Thursday August 15, will mark the 15 year anniversary of that victory.

Man of the match against Randal Óg was Brian “Rasher” Sigerson who scored 2-2, while 18-year-old captain Scott Richards hit 2-7, as the Village managed 4-12 to their opponents 1-20.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

That very Sigerson also happened to be the manager this time around when they won the Junior C Football title against Grange, while Richards scored a point from play – 15 years after his tally of 2-7 against Randal Óg.

The man in charge of that Ballinacurra team 15 years ago was Martin Gatchie Walsh, who also led the team to the 2011 Confined Junior B county final, but they finished runner-up. Walsh was also in charge of St Ita’s for their maiden East Cork Junior A Hurling Championship title win in 2021.

Current chairperson of Ballinacurra is Trevor Richards, who also played in that Junior B final, while goalkeeper Mark “Fanta” O’Sullivan is a selector for Donie Daly’s Cork Intermediate Camogie team that defeated Kilkenny in their All-Ireland final on Sunday.

Playing corner-back on the day was Steve Kane, current manager of the Midleton Junior A hurling team.

He was a selector when the Magpies won the Premier Senior county title in 2021, and manager the following year. He also spearheaded their Intermediate A sides in 2021 and 2022.

Tom O’Meara is another feature of the 2009 win that also remains with the football team in 2024, while Mossie Stack is currently a selector with the football team.

Given that Ballinacurra failed to field a hurling side 10 years on in 2019 and haven’t since, it could be a long time until we see the Village win another hurling title, making their 2009 triumph against the side from Ballinacarriga all the more valuable.

Scorers for Ballinacurra: Scott Richards 2-7, Brian Sigerson 2-2, Mossie Stack 0-2, Damien Daly 0-1.

Ballinacurra team v Randal Óg, August 15 2009: Mark O’Sullivan, Tom O’Meara, Trevor Richards, Steve Kane, Damien Fitzmaurice, Ian Cahill, Kieran O’Callaghan, Trevor Costigan, Mossie Stack, Denis McCarthy, Scott Richards, Damien Daly, Kevin O’Brien, Brian Sigerson, Stephen O’Brien.

Sub used: Colin Richards.